Torpedo-cane.



' PATENTED AUG. 1 6, 1904.

P. R. ROBERTS.

`TORPEDO CANE.

APPLICATION FILED sBPT.11, 1903.l

IRIN, ...ff .f4/4144...? 1 46... 1 L

N0 MODEL.

Patented August 16, 1904.

PATENT GEETCE.

PETER R. ROBERTS, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

TORPEDO-CANE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 767,440, dated August 16, 1904.

Application filed September 11, 1903. Serial No. 172,830. (No model.)

To all 107mm/ 7115 Wzfty concern.-

Bc it known that I, PETER R. ROBERTS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Torpedo-Canes, of which improvement the following is a specification.

This invention ielates to certain new and useful improvements in torpedo-canes, and relates more particularly to a torpedo-cane which is provided with a magazine for holding a plurality of torpedoes which may be automatically successively fired.

The object of this invention is to provide a torpedo-cane in which a magazine for the storage of a plurality of torpedoes is provided, the said torpedoes being automatically fed singly to a mortar contained in said cane after each preceding torpedo has been tired in said mortar.

A further object of this invention is to so construct the cane that the danger of firing.

the torpedoes prematurely is reduced to a minimum and to so construct the different parts that the cane will be cheap and simple in construction and highly efficient in opei'ation. A With the above and other objects in view my invention resides in the novel construction and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In describing my invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the several views, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of my iniproved device, the handle thereof being broken off. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing' the mechanism in the act of tiring a torpedo. Eig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Eig. 4c is a detail showing one form of closure for the magazine.

Referring to the drawings, the reference numeral 1 indicates the main casing, in which an aperture 2 is formed, a handle or cane 3 being secured therein in anysuitable manner.

The magazine f1 is also formed in this casing larly disposed, as indicated by 5, for the purpose of feeding the torpedoes 6 toward the extension 7, and a passage 8 is adapted to communicate with said magazine over the said extension and leads from said magazine through the plunger portion 9, which is preferably formed integral with said casing 1.

The mortar 10 is so constructedthat the plunger 9 is adapted to reciprocate in it, and an extension 11 on one side of said mortar is provided with the chamber 12, the said chamber at all times being in communication with the passage 8. A projection 13 on said extension of the mortar projects within the aperture 14, which is formed in the casing 1 between the angular bottom 5 of the magazine and the extension 7, the upper end of said extension being angularly inclined and normally lying in such a position that one of the torpedoes may pass from the magazine tonto the upper end of said projection over the rounded edge 15, the torpedo then -resting on the projection and against the extension 7. The rear side 16 of the projection 13 is flattened, and when the said projection is elevated the torpedo resting on its upper end is carried up over the extension 7. It will then fallby gravity through the passage 8 into the chamber 12, adjacent to the tiring-chamber of the mortar. This elevation of the plunger 13 will also cut off communication between the magazine 4 and the passage 8, and the edge 15 of the projection being rounded the torpedoes in the magazine which might be slightly in the path of the plunger will be forced gently back and not injured.

The projection 13 is normally held in its lower position and the plunger 9 in its upper position by the spring 17, which is coiled around the exterior thereof, the lower end of said spring resting in an annular recess 18, formed in the upper edge of the mortar, and the movement of the said parts is regulated by the split pin 19, which passes through the mortar and also through a iattened or cutaway portion 20 in the plunger 9, the upper and lower ends of said portion being rounded, as indicated. This split pin 19 prevents the mortar turning around the plunger and also IOO forms a simple and efi'ective means for secu ring the parts together and a means which may be readily removed te disassemble the parts.

While in Fig'. i l have shown an extensionpipe 2l to the magazine, a taper plug' 22, such as shown in Li, mig'ht be used, and in this construction the magazine would be air-tig'ht at its ripper' end and be contained wholly within the casing,

The operation of my device would be as fellows: The cap 23 et' the extension 21 of the magazine 4 having been removed a desired supply of torpedoes 6 is dropped into the magazine and the cap 23 securely replaced. The torpedo which was first placed in the magazine will fall ente the projection i3, as before described. Upon dropping the cane or forcing the plunger inte the mortar ag'ainst the action of the spring 17 the torpedo will be forced over the extension 7, through passage 8 to chamber l2, where it is prevented from entering the mortar by the portion 24 of the plunger 9. The piston when again permitted te rise permits the torpedo to enter the mortar and upon again forcing the plunger inte the mortar the torpedo will be discharged andthe succeeding torpedo fed to the chamber.

A plurality of discharge-ports 25 are provided, the said ports being' preferably downwardly and outwardly inclined, as shown, for the purpose of throwing the explosion downwardly.

it will be noted that at the time of the discharge of a torpedo the magazine is eti'ectually cut ofi from the explosion-chamber, thereby preventing the accidental discharge of all the torpedoes.

Vhile I have herein described my invention in detail, it will be noted that various slight changes maybe made without departing from the g'eneral spirit of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire te secure by Letters Patent, isv

l. 1n a device of the character described, the combination with a cane, ef a casing having a magazine for torpedoes therein, a plunger en the casing, a mortar inclesing said plunger, said casing provided with a passage leading' from said magazine te said mortar, an

obstruction arranged in said passage, and a projection on said mortar for lifting' a torpedo from said magazine over said obstruction.

2. in a device of the character described, the combination with a cane, ef a casing' secured thereto, a plunger formed en said casing, a mortar mounted thereon, means whereby it is normally eutpressed, said casing' having a feed-passage therein, said plunger also having' a feed-passage therein communicating with said mortar, an upwardly-projecting extension separating said passages, means en the mortar for conveying' a charge contained in the feed-passage of the casing' over said extension, as and fer the purpose set forth,

3. ln a device of the character described, the combination with the cane of a easing sccured to one end thereof, a magazine formed in said casing, a plunger formed en said casing, a mortar in which said plunger eperates, a spring for normally holding' the plunger away from the betteln of the mortar, a depression in one side of said plunger, a split pin carried by the mortar adapted to slide through said depression, the ends of said depression acting' as a stop for said pin thereby limiting' the movement of the mortar en the plung'er, a chamber formed in a side of said mortar, a passage formed in said plunger normally connecting said chamber' with the lower end of the mag'azine, a projection carried by the mortar adapted to close the lower end of the magazine when elevated, an eX- tension in the passage in the plunger whereby one torpedo is permitted te leave the magazine and rest on the plunger on the mortar, the elevation of said plunger raising the torpedo over the extension whereby it falls te the chamber in the mortar, means whereby the chamber in the mortar is cut oil from the explosion-chamber at the time of explosion, and angular exit-ports from said explosion-chamber, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PETER R'. ROBERTS.

1n presence of Fnm) i). HnNzr, M. Giens. 

